Staff Reporter|Published
Imports are posing an increased threat to South African manufacturers, and businesses across several industries are seeking trade protection as the country struggles to revive its industrial base.
Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that shipments from China to South Africa rose by 29% in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year. The increase comes as US President Donald Trump’s tariffs reshape international trade and Chinese exporters look for alternative markets.
The pressure comes at a difficult time for local industry. Manufacturing has been losing ground in South Africa’s economy for decades, while high operating costs, weak demand and infrastructure constraints continue to undermine the competitiveness of domestic producers.
Manufacturers seek import relief
The scale of the challenge is reflected in applications for protection against increased imports being considered by the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac).
According to Bloomberg, the commission is investigating five new applications covering products including gypsum plasterboard, plastic used in beverage containers and cold-rolled steel. The applicants include representatives of the fasteners industry, Saint-Gobain Construction Products South Africa, ArcelorMittal South Africa and Hosaf, a subsidiary of KAP.
The commission told Bloomberg that its caseload relating to increased imports had generally risen over the years, with some of the increase attributable to imports from East Asia, including China.
The South African Reserve Bank’s September 2026 Quarterly Bulletin also highlighted the imbalance in the country’s manufacturing trade relationship with China. China accounted for 35.7% of South Africa’s manufactured imports in the latest trade-weighting update, compared with approximately 5.9% of manufactured exports going to China.
This imbalance leaves local producers exposed to competition from imported goods while limiting their access to the Chinese market for South African manufactured products.
Price pressure and jobs
The impact is being felt by individual manufacturers. Bloomberg reported that Alvern Cables, a Germiston-based producer of electrical cables, has faced growing competition from imports despite previously expecting an economic recovery to improve demand for its products.
The company has had to adjust its operations in response to market conditions, according to its works director, Jaycen Padiachy, who told Bloomberg that imports were affecting the business.
The broader concern is that sustained pressure on local manufacturers could undermine investment, production and employment at a time when South Africa needs stronger industrial growth.
However, cheaper imported products also offer benefits to consumers and businesses facing high costs. The challenge for policymakers is to address unfair or damaging import competition without unnecessarily restricting trade or increasing prices.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has acknowledged the need for South Africa to diversify its trading relationships as global commerce shifts. Bloomberg reported that the department was promoting a strategy to strengthen links with a wider range of regions.
For local manufacturers, the central issue is whether they can compete with imported goods on price while dealing with South Africa’s own structural costs. For government, the challenge is to translate its industrialisation ambitions into conditions that allow domestic producers to expand, invest and create jobs.
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